Truth and Treachery
by lborgia88
Summary: A follow up to "Dreams of Deception":  Jason faces new dangers as his past catches up to him, but is there anyone he can trust? For a challenge: turn an unused Gatchaman episode into a Battle of the Planets episode.
1. Chapter 1

This is another result of the challenge suggested by Unpublished Writer, namely to take one of the 20 Gatchaman episodes that were never used in Battle of the Planets and rewrite it to be a BOTP episode. In the same manner that I turned Gatchaman episode 102 into a "Battle of the Planets" episode, _Dreams of Deception_, here is Gatchaman episode 103, also converted to a "Battle of the Planets" episode. While it is a follow-up to _Dreams of Deception_, I envisioned that one occurring in between BOTP episodes 73 and 74, but I'm putting this one at the end of the series, as an "episode 86."

Dream sequences here are from another unused Gatchaman episode, #78 "Mortal Combat! 10,000 Meters Under the Sea." Battle of the Planets episodes sometimes used footage from more than one Gatchaman episode, so I figured I could do it too.

Again, there's probably too much fighting and suffering in this for Battle of the Planets (though I did "edit out" a _lot_ from the Gatch version), as well as too much plot weirdness and episode continuity, but I'm not seriously claiming this could pass muster as a BOTP episode. As ever, I now have a much greater appreciation for what the BOTP writers accomplished!

**Truth and Treachery**

Fish swam past the underwater base beneath the coral reef in calm and leisurely rows, but inside, a little cylindrical robot was pacing back and forth anxiously.

"Here at Center Neptune, deep beneath the sea," 7-Zark-7 said, "I am constantly vigilant, watching for any and all signs of trouble from planet Spectra and that eeevil Zoltar."

Here he paused in his pacing.

"But even though I have the most advanced programming yet devised," he continued with a small sigh, "Zoltar is ever coming up with new and devious ways to infiltrate Earth! Just now, I was tracking a Spectran ship that seemed to be heading towards Earth, and then just like that, it was gone from my monitors! Some kind of cloaking device, I don't doubt, and most disturbing. Why, that ship could be _anywhere_ now, doing _anything_."

The robot glided quickly back to his flashing and blinking console and panel of monitors.

"But I'll keep searching. I really can't alert G-Force that there _might_ be a Spectran ship up to no good on Earth, if I have to tell them I have no idea at all where it went!'

He began rapidly pushing buttons…

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It had been, Jason thought, a while since he'd raced –much too long. It had been even longer since he'd raced an Indy-style car. Ever since Mala had exposed him with the anti-transmute ray he'd been obeying Chief Anderson's directive to "lay low" and unfortunately, in the world of racing, his skill -with the victories to prove it- had made him somewhat high profile.

But this morning, the stands were deserted and his was the only car on the track. In fact, it wasn't _his_ car at all; it was on loan from an automotive conglomerate hoping to entice him to race under their sponsorship. Surely the Chief couldn't object to him just trying out their car, on an empty track…

Jason was glad to be back in the racing game to any extent –even practice laps to get the feel of this new car felt satisfying. Ever since Chief Anderson had made adjustments to his cerebonic implant, three months ago, he'd been feeling like his old self again.

He pushed harder on the gas pedal; it was time to see what this baby could really do…

Yes, life was good again, or at least as good as it could be until the day dawned when Spectra was no longer a threat to Earth or to galactic peace. He was fine -no dizziness, no blurred vision, and above all, no bizarre and disturbing dreams of unconscious strangers and a masked Spectran woman at a beach to mess with his sleep and leave him surly and exhausted.

_But suddenly, his vision blurred._

"No," he growled, gripping the wheel tightly. It was nothing… just the way the light was hitting his racing goggles. He was fine. The Chief had fixed the problem, and it would bloody well stay fixed! That was all behind him now.

Only dimly conscious he was doing it, he accelerated even more, as if he could literally leave it all behind. He stared fixedly ahead, willing the universe to distill itself down to nothing but the chaotic purity of speed and the roaring wind's harsh caress.

And he found clarity again; the sky and the track –all that he could see- were sharply delineated once again.

Yes, he was just _fine_.

Until movement, and color, in the side mirror drew a quick glance from him. Two helicopters, flying low, were behind him and he needed only a second to see that they were gaining on him, _fast._

_What's this? Some kind of emergency response drill for medical evac personnel?_

Flying even lower, the helicopters flanked him on either side, and now he could see their occupants.

Spectran soldiers.

Thoughts of _"How did they find me?"_ and _"Did Mala figure out who I am?"_ raced through his mind in the instant it took for him to comprehend that one soldier was aiming a gun at him and that there was nothing he could do to avoid its bullets.

But the two bullets fired flew past his face, well in front of him.

Warning shots across his bows –they wanted him but they wanted him alive. That, at least, gave him a chance. He floored the gas pedal, surging the car towards the point where he would cease to have any control over it, but he had to get out of here! He had to get somewhere where there were trees, overhead wires, buildings –anything that could get these helicopters off his tail!

He was skidding… He struck the rail. But he managed, somehow, to regain a vestige of control, enough to get him tearing along the track again.

They were behind him now but he had no idea if he'd be able to keep it that way. He'd never driven a car like this, this fast, on any track, and he honestly didn't know if he'd be able to keep it up without crashing. But speed might well be all that was keeping him safe –if the Spectrans in the helicopters wanted him alive, they'd never shoot his tires out when he was going this fast.

But they could fire more "warning shots." Three shatter-ringed bullet holes now speckled his windshield. A hasty glance at the mirror showed only one helicopter in his wake –where had the other gone?

In a second he knew –it had cut across the track's infield. It was flying head-on towards him –and low. It was forcing him to brake and swerve –the car's tires screamed in protest- and he lost all semblance of control.

The car smashed through the track's railing, and kept on flying… He could _not_ be in it when it hit the ground again.

But he was cerebonically enhanced –he was G-Force! He could survive this.

Drawing on every trace of speed and physics-defying agility he possessed, he leapt clear of the car. But something was wrong –he was disoriented, dizzy.

He wasn't going to be able to land on his feet…

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His mind struggled towards consciousness. He was lying on his back and he seemed to be in one piece, but his head spun and nausea coursed through him in waves.

_They've got me_, he thought, _I can't even stand up. But I was supposed to cured!_

A rough booted foot brushed across his face. He looked up, and there was a bearded Spectran soldier, clad in the blue uniform that indicated higher rank –likely a Captain.

"Wake up! Do you know how many days I've been looking for you?" growled the Captain as he kept his gun trained on Jason, "But there's long been rumors that you race cars," he added, spinning his gun smugly in one hand now, "I knew that if I staked out enough tracks, I'd find you eventually."

They hauled him into one of the helicopters, and as it rose upward, a massive Spectran ship shaped like a moth swooped in and loomed above, bay doors on its belly opening to welcome the helicopters inside.

The car, on the grass far below, was the sole, mute witness to his abduction.

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By the time they got him out of the helicopter, inside the moth ship, Jason was relieved to find that he could see straight and walk upright again without staggering. He knew the drill –they would take him before their leader (no doubt dressed like a total freak), and he was determined to be standing tall when that happened. He just needed to bide his time, and the opportune moment for escape would come. But once again, his body –or his implant, really- was playing traitor on him and as the soldiers escorted him into what resembled a throne room, he was suddenly terribly conscious of his absent helmet and concealing tinted visor as he silently willed his face to reveal none of the anxiety he was feeling.

Sure enough, this Spectran ship's leader was wearing a garish robe and a weird hooded mask. He was slouched nonchalantly on his "throne," leaning on one elbow as he propped his head up with one arm.

But as the soldiers flanking Jason stopped and then stepped slightly away from him, the hooded figure spoke

"I've had people searching for you for quite some time," drawled a generic male Spectran voice, "I hope they weren't too… rough on you."

Could this be Mala again, trying another disguise? Jason couldn't tell for sure.

"I'll send you the car repair bill," he replied with a hint of a smirk, adding "But whatever guy you're looking for, I'm not him."

"No? You fit the description that I was given perfectly –you even have the number 2 shirt.'

_This must be Mala's doing…_

"Of course," continued the hooded figure, "we'll need to do some tests on you nevertheless, just to be certain there's no… deception here."

"I'm just a race car driver," declared Jason, "Don't waste your time."

_Tests? The only hard proof I'm G-Force is inside my head,_ thought Jason, feeling his face tense as the hooded Spectran merely gazed at him silently, _But Spectrans don't know about our implants… or do they?_

"I don't think it will be a waste. You are most interesting to me, as I've been assured that a thorough medical exam will reveal that you have a cerebonic implant, and that you are also half Spectran." The voice grew sharper, though the figure's slouching posture didn't change, adding "And that you recognize one Mala Latroz at a glance, even from a distance, and then rush after her."

Several of the Spectran soldiers in the room all took a step closer to Jason now.

_Half Spectran?_

"You need some new informants, man," insisted Jason, "How much did that pack of lies cost you?"

_So it was that damned doctor at the sleep clinic! No wonder the guy skipped town weeks ago._

"This informant was initially… confused, for some weeks, as to where his best interests –and greatest rewards- lie, but Dr. Ratold is now loyal only to me. You didn't know, then, but he did a scan of your brain at his sleep clinic. He has sent results to me, along with the blood samples he took from you that day. Allow me to greet you now, for the first time…"

He reached up with one hand and yanked away the hood and robe.

"As your long-lost uncle!"

_What?_

It was Zoltar.

"You don't seem all that bright," said Jason, thumbing his nose derisively, "but you must be nuts too, to think I'd fall for a crock like this. Whoever 'Ratold' is, he's scamming you big time."

"_No one_ insults Lord Zoltar –you will apologize!" declared the blue-clad Spectran Captain, now pointing a hand gun directly at Jason.

Jason said nothing -he merely turned his head and glared- but the soldier stepped back hastily.

_They all believe I'm G-Force. But keep denying it, play for time, then escape…_

"Hey, _he_ just insulted _me_," growled Jason.

"Your denials are futile," said Zoltar, smirking now as he walked towards Jason, "Blood cannot lie. Neither can your mother –not after _I've _interrogated her. Now I know all about your little 'reunion' three months ago, though I haven't gotten the identity of your Earthling father out of Mala –yet."

"My parents," retorted Jason, "were _Joseph and Kathryn_. They died in a car accident when I was six –but I remember them. And I have no uncles!"

Zoltar briefly recoiled as he spoke, clenching his fists in frustration, but then his smirk returned and he leaned ingratiatingly towards Jason.

"You believe these 'memories'? Believe Anderson? You could be a Lord of Spectra, a number '1' -not taking orders from those who should be taking yours!"

Jason turned away, unsure if he could keep a straight face much longer if he had to keep listening to this absurd ploy. Did they really think he was that gullible?

_Okay, I'll play along then, play for time, then escape…_

"Well, when you put it _that_ way…" he replied, now briefly glancing back at Zoltar with a slight smile, waving his fingers in a "tell me more" gesture.

"I've long seen the superior, fiery spirit of a Spectran Lord in you," said Zoltar silkily, nodding as he rubbed his hands together.

"I'll admit that G-Force and I aren't an ideal fit," said Jason.

"Naturally," said Zoltar, nodding again.

"So I'm willing to give your whole recruitment offer a listen," continued Jason, holding his chin thoughtfully, "But it'll have to be awfully good to lure me to a crappy rock like Spectra."

Zoltar managed to swallow this insult to his home world, so eager was he to let Jason continue speaking. He leaned even closer towards him.

"Actually, it's _never_ going to happen!" snarled Jason, now seizing the chance to spin around and punch an unsuspecting Zoltar in the face, hard enough to send him sprawling on his back. Immediately, Jason punched the nearest Spectran soldier on the jaw, and as another one lunged for him, Jason grabbed him and hurled him straight at a cluster of five other soldiers, too startled to move, knocking them all down. Jason leaped high into the air, aiming for the massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling –if he could kill the lights, he had a better chance of getting away.

But even as he soared through the air, the same dizziness and disorientation that had afflicted him when he'd leapt from the crashing car earlier returned suddenly with a vengeance.

_No, not again!_

He no longer knew where he was in relation to the floor or ceiling; his vision blurred and his head throbbed. He missed the chandelier completely and dropped back to the floor. He was on his knees, resting one hand on the floor as he struggled both to regain his sense of balance and to not puke.

But there were soldiers right beside him –he had to move!

With supreme effort, he snapped to his feet and threw himself sideways, knocking down the nearest soldier. Then he ran, as even more soldiers began to chase him, approaching what his blurred vision told him was a staircase –and maybe a way out.

But in that instant, intense pain blossomed within his head and forced him to a halt as he clutched his forehead with one hand and dropped to his knees –too dizzy to stand and barely able to see through the fog of pain and nausea and he leaned on his other trembling hand.

_I have to get out of here! Get up!_

Sensing that he was now drawing on nearly his last reserves, he somehow managed to stand again, desperately forcing his traitorous implant and body to obey his will. The soldiers chasing him were almost upon him; he took a fighting stance, prepared to battle to the very end if necessary.

Maybe not necessary –in that moment he realized that he was beneath the chandelier again. He leaped high with all the strength he could muster, holding himself in a tight somersault as he flew towards the lights. Bullets were flying around him, but he reached the chandelier and grabbed hold of it, letting the impact of his weight and speed take its toll.

And it worked! Even as he used his momentum to fling himself away and back towards the floor, the chandelier ripped from the ceiling, all its lights extinguished, and plummeted towards the floor.

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	2. Chapter 2

"Curse him," growled the Spectran Captain, now plunged into darkness, "We must find him at once!"

"But I can't see a thing!" protested the soldier standing near him.

The soldiers all stared around futilely, seeing nothing in the blackness but hearing the echoing footfalls of Jason's shoes as he moved about the room's perimeter, seeking an exit.

"Which direction is the sound coming from?" whispered a soldier.

"I can't tell," muttered the Captain, "But this room has windows –go pull the curtains open!"

The soldier acknowledged his orders with a hasty salute and moved for the nearby curtains. But no sooner did he try to pull the heavy cloth aside, Jason's fist appeared in the slice of exposed light and knocked the soldier down. But by the time the Captain had spun around to see what had happened, Jason had retreated out of sight again.

But Zoltar had found his way, in the darkness, to a spotlight and he switched it on. It shot a beam across the large room and there, on the far side, was Jason –now revealed in its intense light, crouching near a wall.

Instantly, Jason leapt away, back into the darkness, but Zoltar's spotlight found him once again, catching him full in the face with blinding light. Jason threw up his arm, trying to shield his already blurry vision from the harsh light but it was too late.

Now he could barely see at all, and in his dizzy and nauseous state, he could barely even stand.

_Anderson fixed my implant! Why is this happening again?_

It was no good trying to run. He fell back against the wall behind him, still trying to shield his eyes.

"Stop fighting us," declared the Captain as he and three other soldiers all approached Jason, keeping their guns trained on him, "You are one of us."

Jason wanted to deliver a nasty retort, but it was all he could do to partially stand and pull his arm from his eyes. The room swam before him even as he forced himself to think. There had to yet be some way out of this; he couldn't give up –ever.

Before he knew it, though, the Captain was behind him, pulling him fully upright.

"Maybe you just need to sleep on it," he growled, "Looks like he could use some rest in a cell, no?" he added as he turned Jason towards the soldier standing beside them.

Another soldier kicked Jason, sending him suddenly staggering forward, nearly blind and about to sprawl on his face.

But he didn't go down; he instead collided with someone else, pure instinct causing him to clutch them tightly to avoid falling. A hand grabbed his chin, pulling his head up, even as he heard Zoltar laugh quietly, from mere inches away.

_Oh no…_

"You are valiant," said Zoltar, "Truly, a credit to the family."

"I'll admit I'm G-Force," said Jason, as one of his eyes managed to focus on Zoltar's face, "if you drop this pitiful 'uncle' act –it's all lies!" These last words came out almost as a hiss.

But now Zoltar had released his chin, resting his hand now on his own face in weary exasperation.

"Do we expect too much, too soon? You know, your mother, behind my back, lost a fleet of insect ships and later a whole squad of robotoids, seeking Anderson, and then you –all to find you."

Zoltar ordered "Seize him," to the Captain and soldier now standing behind Jason and he felt their hands grip him tightly, restraining his arms. But Jason also thought they might be the only reason he was still standing –he still felt dizzy, so much that he was slumping forward even as they held him. His breath was coming in gasps as he struggled not to be sick. Or maybe puking on Zoltar's feet was a _good_ idea…

But then the Captain kicked him from behind, and he went sprawling on the floor, ending up on his back.

"In light of her past and recent treacheries, Mala is my prisoner now. I think you should spend some time with her in her cell, on Spectra."

Zoltar's foot came down, pressing against Jason's face.

"Perhaps together you will both come to your senses and see where your true loyalties need to be given! And I must say, it certainly seems that you need attention from a physician –perhaps Ratold again-" Here Zoltar chuckled and turned away, removing his foot. "He is, after all, knowledgeable in these matters."

"Prepare to return to Spectra," he commanded the Captain and soldiers, "And straight to the Damruk Mountains facility. The mantle procedure must begin without delay! And lock _him_ up securely, Captain Baldrik!"

Zoltar strode away, his cape sweeping dramatically in his wake. The Captain and another soldier hauled Jason to his feet, each holding one of his arms, and he was in no shape to offer any resistance, his head still spinning, his eyes still struggling to focus. All he could tell was that he was being taken down a long corridor, presumably to a prison cell.

"This weird bracelet of his," said the soldier gripping his left wrist, "Could be some kind of signaling device –should I take it off him?"

"Yes, that's a good idea-" the Captain started to reply, but Jason, in a panic, realized just how much he was going to need it. Though he'd thought he had none left, somehow now he found the will and the strength to yank his arm free from the Captain's grip, seize the handgun from the soldier's holster, and train it on them both from behind.

"Hands in the air," snapped Jason, and they both complied instantly. "Start walking –and no funny moves, or I'll shoot!" But while he spoke, Jason himself was backing up silently, preparing to slip off in the other direction.

He lurched briefly, clutching his head. He had no time left for stealth; he started to run as fast as he could.

"Shoot him with your tranq gun!" cried the soldier he'd just disarmed, and the Captain immediately began firing at Jason, who was fleeing blindly.

But his shots missed, and Jason had just stumbled upon an exit hatch that led out of the moth ship. Jason flung open the hatch and leapt through it, desperate to believe that whatever was out there had to be better than his current plight inside the ship.

What Jason didn't know was that the Spectran ship was now well into the Earth's stratosphere, heading towards space. High mountains were visible, but miles below, and with a cry of alarm, Jason began to fall through the thin and piercingly cold air.

"Captain!" cried the soldier, "Should we alert the bridge that we need turn back and go after him?"

"No," replied the Captain grimly, still clutching his gun in dismay, "You heard Zoltar –the mantle procedure _cannot_ be delayed any longer. Besides, I doubt even one of G-Force can survive a fall from this height."

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He was falling… He'd never been so cold, and though he was gasping, the thin air at this extreme altitude gave no sustenance. He was going to black out, and then he'd die for sure. But if he could just hold out a little longer, fall fast to where the air was better, and then glide with his wings…

Soon it was time. He pulled his left arm in front of his face.

"Transmute!"

The wings of his cape spread out, slowing his speed and giving him some control over his descent. He managed to land on his feet, on a road that snaked through the steep mountains, but almost immediately his head spun, his vision clouded and his stomach lurched. He dropped to a crouch, trying to steady himself and catch his breath, but the sudden squealing of a car's tires caused him to whip his face around, though he could barely see the car that was now about to run him down.

But the car swerved enough at the last moment to avoid him. Jason tried to get to his feet, tried to speak, but it was no good. All he had was a blurry vision of a man in the car. His head _ached_ as if it were about to split apart_._

"Are you… _G-Force?_ I can't believe I nearly hit you! Hey, are you okay? You don't…"

But Jason was totally depleted now, no longer able to do anything or to resist the fuzzy grey void that was swallowing up his mind.

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_He was dreaming again._

_He saw a cascade of pale pink petals, falling through the air before a surreal, distorted sky…_

_He'd dreamt this before._

_He was small again, and lying on his stomach with his chin in the golden sand. He gritted his teeth and struggled once, trying to resist, trying to get up. He had to stop her! But it was no use. Everything was now fading away…_

_Everything except that horrible woman with the mask and the stars on her chest. She had thrown the flower at him, and now he was slipping away._

_But he could still hear her voice._

"_You're lucky I tracked you down first because I'll let you live, and keep your treachery a secret from your brother. You're young and in love, my dear, and therefore so very stupid. But some day you'll be wiser and you'll understand, and then you'll be grateful to me for dragging you home. Alone."_

_The sand was so warm, his eyelids so heavy… He couldn't even open his eyes. What was happening?_

"_As for you, little one, you'd better stay here. We've no use for mongrels on Spectra."_

_No!_

_His mind was filled with anguish, and panic._

_Wake up! Stop sleeping! Wake up!_

Jason opened his eyes, at first only aware that he was lying on his back, in a bed, in a room of pale colors lit by sunlight from a window. Then his memory cascaded…

His capture at the track, the Spectran moth ship, his implant malfunctioning again, Zoltar claiming Mala was his mother… it all came flooding into his consciousness.

And the dream.

The words were fresh in his mind. _We've no use for mongrels on Spectra…_

Crazy dream gibberish –it _had_ to be! But someone was talking. He was in a hospital room, Jason realized, and a man seated behind a screen was speaking as if on a telephone, in a voice with a trace Scottish accent.

"He'll be sedated for hours. No, it's good that you told me, Anderson, it explains everything."

_It's Dr. McNab_, Jason realized, _from Center Neptune's medical center._

"You see, I've turned up some articles in Rigan medical journals about Spectran hybrids, born after the first invasion. Apparently it's not unusual for physiological imbalances to occur in the post-pubescent years."

Jason snapped upright.

_What?_

But he made no sound.

"Sporadic dizziness, fatigue, nausea, blurred vision, headaches… Yes, those are all symptoms. No, it's easily treatable with monthly injections of the right amino acids and electrolytes."

Jason continued to listen, frozen in silence.

"Unnecessary. As you see, recalibrating his implant settings is only a temporary fix too. Injections are more effective for this, and frankly, a lot simpler to do."

There was a long pause.

"The mnemonic suppression and replacement functions? My God, Anderson, are you telling me that all these years you've been- He doesn't know?"

Another pause. Jason's heart began to race.

"'Weird dreams' he called them? Yes, I think his old memories, once triggered, might emerge like dreams, at least at first. No, I have no idea if the injections can solve _that_ problem for you. Have you considered telling him the _truth?"_

He could hear Dr. McNab tapping his pencil against the desk, strangely magnified, as Jason's thoughts somehow both raced frantically and stalled completely, unable to process the words he was hearing. He could only stare blankly, his mouth open in horrified disbelief.

But then it all slammed together –the dreams he'd been having, what Zoltar had said, and what he was hearing Dr. McNab say now. The room, Dr. McNab's voice –all of it- seemed to recede, leaving him suspended in a cold and empty universe of reality.

_It's all true?_

_Then my whole life is a lie._

His mind was spinning with all the terrible implications…

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In his office, Chief Anderson hung up the phone, looking distraught.

_I only did what I thought was best -first for him, and then for G-Force._

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Dr. McNab stepped around the screen to check on how Jason was sleeping –in light of what he knew about his patient now, the sedative might not function the same as-

Jason was gone.

But the curtain flapping in the breeze at the now-open window told its tale.

_Maybe it's for the best if he knows the truth…_

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Jason was back in the city, but he didn't go to his trailer and he certainly didn't want to go to Center Neptune. He wanted to avoid everyone –especially Chief Anderson. He needed to be alone, and he needed to _think_. He didn't know yet what to do…

It was dark now, and he was walking down a street, barely noticing his surroundings.

_My deepest secret? You think you have me, with that? Zoltar won't believe you, Anderson! No one will ever believe you! And the only way you could prove it –you don't have the guts to expose the only "proof" you have! No, you'll keep it hidden, and ignorant, just like you have all these years!_

Mala's words from three months ago came back to him, and chillingly, made a lot more sense now.

_Well, Zoltar believes it now, thanks to that doctor, Ratold._

_And I guess I do too, now._

He felt sick. The street lights above him were too bright, and too fuzzy. He still wasn't well, he realized, though at least now he really knew why.

_Maybe I should have stuck around long enough to get one of those injections from Dr. McNab_, he thought. _Too late now…_

He rode a freight elevator up an under-construction skyscraper that was little more than a skeleton of steel beams and gazed out over the city and its multitude of lights, tinier and fainter from this height.

Chief Anderson's words came back to him too.

_She wanted a guarantee of protection from the Federation and a new identity. I didn't know who she was or where she was from, and she didn't know my name, but we did communicate once on view screens. It was shortly before we were to meet in person for the first time… I was able to piece together from… witness reports, that she had been abducted before I got there. I never saw her again –that is, until barely a month ago when I took a ride on the Solar Express train with a Mala Latroz from 'Public Relations.'_

_I remember, _thought Jason,_ I remember the abduction –that's my dream. I was the witness._

_But I can't remember anything before that… about Mala or-_

The beam he was leaning against –everything- began to shake. Bricks toppled off a platform hanging from a crane and crashed down to where he was standing.

_But there are never earthquakes here_, he thought. _Could Spectra somehow be behind this?_

And Zoltar's words came back to him.

_Mala is my prisoner now. I think you should spend some time with her in her cell, on Spectra._

_That's where the answers I need the most are, _thought Jason_, _his jaw tightening,_ But first I have to…_

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	3. Chapter 3

The Spectran facility was vast and almost entirely subterranean, and now it swarmed with busy soldiers in the final, hurried stages of a large-scale construction project as welding torches flared and cranes lifted and moved massive pieces of drill-like equipment.

"What's with all the hush-hush?" muttered one soldier to another who was working alongside him, assembling machinery, "Until I was sent here, I didn't know this base even existed and no one can tell me just what we're actually doing here."

"I think only those closest to Lord Zoltar know," replied his work companion, "and I guess this place has long been a top-secret location. Whatever we're doing here in the Damruk Mountains, you can bet it's important!"

Seeing a car going by on the elevated monorail, the soldier hastily turned back to his work, and his welding torch flared anew.

Within the car stood Zoltar, surveying all the activity through the car's windows, accompanied by Captain Baldrik.

"I would have your head, Captain," said Zoltar, with chilling amiability, "If you didn't need the knowledge it contains for the mantle procedure."

Captain Baldrik saluted stiffly, "My failure to prevent his escape was a disgrace," he acknowledged, "I swear I will redeem myself by making sure the procedure is carried out _exactly_ right."

"You had better. Only your scientific expertise in this field has saved you," replied Zoltar, still gazing intently out the window, "Everything will depend on your accuracy and precision. _You_, after all, know what will happen if you fail at this."

Leaving the Captain behind, Zoltar entered the facility's control center through the large main door, shaped like the Spectran symbol. He moved towards a console and picked up an interstellar communicator.

"Attention, crew of the Catfish, this is Zoltar speaking. We have just arrived back on Spectra but just in case G-Force has somehow tracked us, you know what to do!"

As he spoke, Zoltar's arm rose into the air menacingly.

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Back on Earth, the small town beside the blue water of the sea with green hills in the background presented a vista of tranquility, despite the presence of a volcano in the far distance, emitting a faint trail of smoke. It hadn't erupted in centuries.

Until this very moment, that is. It suddenly blasted a spray of lava high in the air as the ground all around it began to shake.

Far away, at Center Neptune, however, Zark was monitoring the situation.

"Something very strange is going on in the area of the Middle Sea," he said, as boulders were dislodging themselves from a rocky slope overlooking the town as the whole area trembled, and they cascaded down below. Mud and boulders even tumbled all the way down to the sea's edge, and an elevated railway track that ran near the volcano cracked apart and was overwhelmed by a flood of lava bursting forth again from the turbulent volcano.

"My sensors began giving me readings of strange seismic activity," added Zark, "and I only just had enough time to warn everyone to evacuate from all the affected areas. But what's so disturbing, is that I have no idea why this is happening –and so suddenly. This region is normally so stable."

Lava was raining down from the sky, landing on abandoned fuel trucks and causing massive explosions, and flames began spreading all throughout the hastily-deserted town.

"And what makes it worse," added Zark, "Is that I had just gotten a tracking fix on a ship that had been heading for planet Spectra –the same ship, I think, that eluded me near Earth- but I had to turn so many of my sensors and monitors over to dealing with this new disaster in the Middle Sea, I lost the trail completely." He emitted a sigh, "But I couldn't have sent G-Force after it regardless –we need them here now!"

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All the members of G-Force were gathered together in a Galaxy Security office building with Chief Anderson., waiting expectantly.

"Greetings, all of you," said the Chief, studying some papers in his hand, "As I was already in town –on my way to see Jason at the hospital, in fact- it was easier to assemble here than at Center Neptune."

Everyone just listened silently.

"I'm glad to see that you've been discharged already, Jason, though I'm a bit surprised Dr. McNab let you go so soon. I haven't been able to reach him quite yet, as he's apparently en route between here and Center Neptune. I have a copy of your admission file here though, and I see that you were brought in by a man who says he found you alone in a deserted area far into the mountains, in your G-Force uniform no less. What were you doing way out there?"

"I'd like to know too," added Mark.

"Got sick suddenly, doing practice driving," replied Jason shortly.

"How much did Dr. McNab tell you about your condition?" asked Dr. Nambu, staring intently at Jason for a moment, but then turning away towards the window, "And what did he do?"

"Is Jase up for this mission?" asked Mark.

Just as Mark was turning to scrutinize him, Jason felt sudden pain behind his eyes, and before he even realized he was doing it, he clutched he forehead.

"Are you okay?" demanded Mark, looking worried.

"McNab said I'm fine," replied Jason abruptly, avoiding Mark's eyes and looking at Chief Anderson.

"Really?" add Mark, unconvinced, "You don't look good."

"He gave me an injection of some kind," retorted Jason, glancing now at Mark, "and I've been great ever since –slept like a baby last night."

Chief Anderson slumped visibly in relief, but both guilt and fear lingered in his eyes as he stared at Jason.

"But what about the earthquakes?" interjected Princess.

Chief Anderson, lost in thought, didn't even hear her.

"The _earthquakes?"_ she repeated, a little louder.

Chief Anderson startled slightly before remembering the reason he'd summoned them all.

"Right. Earthquakes are occurring in the normally stable eastern region of the Middle Sea, triggering volcanoes and affecting major fault lines –tremors have reached even here. Investigate the epicenters for anything suspicious."

"G-Force!" they all cried, moving to leave the room.

"Wait, Jason," called Chief Anderson, "You stay here."

"But he's fine," said Tiny, puzzled.

Chief Anderson seemed to be at a loss for words.

"We're a team of _five_, Chief," added Mark.

Jason, like all of them, had paused, but only now did he turn to look at Chief Anderson.

"I can't stay here," he protested, "There's a mission!"

"They've managed without you before," snapped the Chief, his tone startling everyone. But he quickly softened his voice, though his eyes were narrowed and anxious. "I want to adjust your implant, like I did before, to ensure it's working correctly."

"Implant?" said Mark, looking to Jason. But Jason ignored him completely, staring intently at Chief Anderson with both dismay and grim realization.

"That's unnecessary," he said tensely, "McNab gave me an injection and I feel great. There's no need to do anything else to me."

"I'm not punishing you, Jason, this is for your own good," said the Chief earnestly, walking closer to Jason, "And for the good of the team. Look, since this mission is on Earth, you can join up with them later."

He looked to Mark. "Mobilize as four, Commander," he instructed, "And I'll send Jason on later."

"We're strongest as five-" began Mark.

"That was an order, Commander!" barked Chief Anderson. Mark's eyes widened in surprise, but he gave a hasty salute and turned to leave the room.

Jason was still staring at the Chief, struggling to mask the hurt and betrayal that he felt. But now he turned suddenly.

"Mark."

Mark skidded to a halt, glancing back at Jason.

"A leader like you, Mark, is what makes the team strong. You don't need me."

_I have my own mission_, Jason thought.

Mark gazed at him pensively, not saying anything.

Jason could only silently convey an apology with his eyes.

_And I don't know when I'll be back._

"Just hurry up here and join us soon!" were Mark's words, though his eyes conveyed more. He left the room, finally, at a run with the others close on his heels.

Jason continued to look at the door through which they'd all left.

_I don't know if I'll be back._

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Minutes later, Jason watched from the window as the Phoenix took off into the blue sky, heading for the Middle Sea.

"Jason, follow me to the cerebonics lab in the east wing," instructed Chief Anderson. He walked out of the room briskly, not looking back at Jason to verify he was following.

But the sound of a car's engine revving loudly and then driving off so fast its tires squealed caused him to turn and rush back into the office.

The window was open and a curtain was, once again, left flapping in the breeze.

He raced over to the window, just in time to see the yellow race car that Jason had arrived in go tearing down the road. His faced sagged in weary comprehension.

_He knows… It's too late. _

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Jason stared fixedly ahead, clutching the steering wheel tightly and ignoring the scenery that whipped by on either side.

_I hope I can commandeer a ship at the Space Center, and that I don't suffer any… symptoms any time soon._

_I need to go to Spectra, to the Damruk Mountains._

_I need answers; I need to find… my mother._

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Seated on the bridge of the Phoenix, Mark snapped his head up from his console.

"Jason is _Spectran?_"

"Half Spectran," said Chief Anderson, "I determined that much, years ago, but it's been deeply classified information."

"Why are you telling us _now?"_ said Princess, distressed, "Why has he run away?"

Beside her, Keyop could only stare, bewildered. Tiny looked sad and apprehensive.

Chief Anderson didn't answer her; he merely closed his eyes, as one steeling himself for a confession.

"Chief, do you mean that-" Mark paused, as the implications caught up to him, _"That even Jason didn't know?"_

"I deemed it best," said the Chief in a low voice, watching Mark staring at him intently from his view screen, "Jason came to me a troubled… traumatized child. I wanted to help him to adjust and adapt, to feel… normal."

Abruptly, the screen on the bridge of the Phoenix went blank as he cut the communication.

Mark stared down blankly now, trying to marshal his thoughts –they had serious earthquakes to deal with first.

But Tiny spoke for him.

"Can you imagine?" he asked, head bowed and eyes closed, "Finding out that you were adopted _and_ that one of your birth parents was from _Spectra?"_

_Earth's worst enemy,_ thought Mark_, and the planet G-Force is committed to defeating… I knew something was wrong with him, earlier today."_

Mark clasped his hands together, clenching them in self-recrimination.

_I knew something was wrong. I should have tried harder to find out what._

Princess and Keyop were also silent, but their faces showed their anxiety and concern for their missing comrade, as Mark now spoke aloud.

"Why couldn't he tell _us?_ We would have understood –we could have helped him."

"We'll find him yet," vowed Tiny, taking the Phoenix into a steep dive towards the epicenter of the first of the earthquakes. The Phoenix made a massive splash as it dove beneath the Middle Sea, heading for the sea floor.

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Jason stared out the window of the small space ship that had taken him all the way from Earth to Spectra, at the high mountains far below. In his G-Force uniform, it had proven easy enough to tell the personnel at the Space Center that he needed it to investigate rumors of a Spectran landing on the far side of the moon while the rest of G-Force was busy investigating earthquakes, and he'd taken off before anyone had a chance to think of confirming this with Zark or the Chief.

_The Damruk Mountains, at Spectra's northern pole,_ he thought, _That's where Zoltar said he was going…_

He slammed a fist against his palm.

_I'll find him. I'll find her_, he whispered vehemently to himself.

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The region surrounding the first earthquake's epicenter had held no clues to help G-Force determine the disaster's mysterious cause. The Phoenix was zooming as fast as it could go through the Middle Sea now, speeding towards the vicinity of the second earthquake's epicenter with an unspoken understanding among its occupants that this mission needed to be concluded as fast as possible so they could begin searching for Jason.

But before they were even there, Princess saw the needle of the Phoenix's seismographic scanner suddenly go crazy.

"Mark," she announced excitedly, "There's a new earthquake starting –almost directly beneath us!"

"And I bet _that's_ causing it!" shouted Tiny, pointing suddenly at the view screen.

"What?" gasped Mark, as they all reacted in shock now.

What they saw was a massive drilling platform, rising up from the sea floor now and being retracted into some kind of giant, underwater ship –a ship with long, waving tentacle-like appendages that now loomed large in the Phoenix's view screen as they sought to ensnare the G-Force ship in their clutches.

"I think you're right," said Mark, unable to keep the worry from his eyes as he contemplated the new ship's vast size.

"It must be Spectran," said Princess. "And now that it's off the sea floor, the earthquake has stopped," she added, studying her console's instruments.

In addition to tentacles, the ship also possessed a massive, finned tail –and with a powerful swat, it sent the Phoenix veering off course as the water surged chaotically in the tail's wake. One of the ship's tentacles seized the advantage afforded by the Phoenix's momentary instability and wrapped itself around the Phoenix, trapping it in its grip.

"I'll pull us loose!" cried Tiny, even as the bridge around him was shaking. He fired full thrusters and the Phoenix was able to rip itself free from its would-be captor. But not without retribution –the ship now fired a laser cannon at the Phoenix, missing but causing a massive explosion in the Phoenix's wake.

"Well, our mission is clear now," said Mark, "We have to stop that ship. Somehow."

"Ohhh!" gasped Princess as the turbulence from the explosion cleared and they saw the Spectran ship facing them again, menacingly.

"Looks… like… catfish," stuttered Keyop nervously as he stood to get a better look at the view screen.

Everyone's eyes narrowed in consternation as it became apparent that the catfish ship was firing a barrage of missiles at the Phoenix. Tiny hastily fired all thrusters and took them up and away fast, but the missiles followed and managed glancing blows along the Phoenix's wings, causing tremors that reached even to the bridge. Before Tiny could get the Phoenix still further away, the catfish ship appeared large in the view screen and the Phoenix was grabbed tightly by two of its whisker-like tentacles, trapping it even more firmly than before.

"_We don't have time for this –not today!"_ thought Mark, staring in dismay.

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	4. Chapter 4

"Oh!" exclaimed Zark, "I don't know when I've ever been so upset! All my circuits are surely about to blow any moment now!"

Rapidly, he paced back and forth, back and forth across his room at Center Neptune as 1-Rover-1 sat watching him.

"First the earthquakes, and now G-Force is locked in battle on the bottom of the Middle Sea with a _terrible_ Spectran catfish ship and I've just heard from Chief Anderson that Jason has found out that he's actually _half Spectran_, and has run away and gone missing!"

1-Rover-1 yapped.

"Yes, I'm as shocked as you are! I don't _know_ how one of his parents could have been Spectran," fretted Zark, "Princess told me, just a few months ago, that Jason can remember things about his parents –before they died in the car accident- and that they were a perfectly typical, happy little family."

1-Rover-1 yapped again.

"Yes, it would make sense if he'd been adopted as a baby," agreed Zark, "But that still doesn't explain _where_ he came from."

The robot paused in his pacing, silent for a moment.

"Actually, 1-Rover-1," said Zark confidingly, "I have a feeling that Chief Anderson knows a lot more than he's letting on. Why, he's even more dreadfully upset than _me_ about what's happened!"

Zark sighed, "And of course, he's still the only one who has clearance to read the records on Jason's childhood."

But suddenly Zark threw up his arms in the air, and then whizzed back over to his console, where he began frantically pushing buttons.

"But I shouldn't be talking! I have to see what's happening with Mark and everyone on the Phoenix! And I have to try to track down Jason too –surely he couldn't have gone _that_ far!"

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_The Spectran sun sets early this far north_, thought Jason, standing on the edge of a cliff in the Damruk Mountains, facing a yellow and orange-streaked sky that, under other circumstances, he might have admired. Fortunately, his G-Force uniform offered him all the protection from the cold wind that he needed.

He jumped down from the high cliff. The space ship he'd used to get here didn't have much in the way of instruments but the few and faint signs of activity they –and his wrist communicator- had picked up indicated that if anything really were here, it was somewhere in this foggy valley. He'd been careful to land and conceal his ship far from here, to avoid detection, and to approach the valley surreptitiously on foot.

As he landed on the ground below, and the thick mist swirled around him, Jason gasped.

All around him the rock had been carved into statues of strange and malevolent creatures. Had these monsters once actually lived here? The statues were clearly very ancient…

It dawned on him then just how little he really knew about Spectra's history. Or maybe he did know; the knowledge, like so many of his memories, could have been stolen from him.

Stolen by Chief Anderson, he was certain, and replaced with lies.

He gazed down into the valley. The truth, the answers he sought, were somewhere down there. From this vantage, he could just make out, amidst the swirling mist, strange lines carved into the vast expanse of valley floor that formed a sinister, beaked face.

Maybe this whole area had once been, in ancient times, a grand temple of some kind and, considering the bleakness of the weather here, maybe it was all underground.

But even as he stared, his eyes widening with realization that he was in the right place after all, a spasm of pain flickered through his head. He clenched his eyes shut, clutching his helmet with one hand.

"Need to find a way in," muttered Jason, lifting his wrist communicator to his eyes to study its readings.

But even as he spoke, he heard noises –the unmistakable sounds of booted feet shifting on rocky ground.

He looked around hastily now, and froze as he realized that, in the mist, he had been discovered and surrounded by a brigade of armed Spectran soldiers.

"We thought you'd fallen to your death back on Earth," growled the voice of the bearded-and-blue-clad Captain Baldrik as all the soldiers trained guns on Jason, "Zoltar and I were just giving your mother the bad news-"

_I was right –they're both here,_ thought Jason, his eyes widening as he kept his back to the Captain, _I have to ditch these soldiers and get inside that place!_

"But when I was called aside by one of my men," continued the Captain, "and told that you'd been spotted on surveillance cameras sneaking around here, I had to come get you personally –you won't escape from me again!"

"I wouldn't be too sure of that-" began Jason, but his bravado was derailed by a sudden burst of pain behind his eyes, making him lean over and hold his head with one hand even as momentary dizziness and nausea assailed him and his vision briefly clouded. He dropped to one knee.

"You're still in bad shape, aren't you?" sneered Captain Baldrik, "You'd better give up now –don't start a fight you can't win." He brandished his gun for emphasis.

But the true seriousness of his plight had now fully dawned on Jason. He _was_ in bad shape, and no one on Earth knew that he'd gone to Spectra.

At this immense distance, he'd never be able to contact Mark with just his wrist communicator. But he had to try –as long as the message got out there, it had a chance of being intercepted and heard somewhere along the vastness of space between Spectra and Earth.

"Mark, this is Jason! I'm on Spectra!" gasped Jason urgently into his wrist communicator, but before the transmission could even send, a shot rang out and a bullet flew past Jason's forearm, tearing his communicator's wrist band.

"No!" cried Jason as his communicator went hurling from his wrist to strike the hard, rocky ground. Its back panel popped open from the impact and its internal components scattered about it.

He had no way to try to contact anyone now. And worse still, his damaged communicator could no longer maintain his transmutation. In a flash of light, he was left, still crouching on one knee, in only his jeans and t-shirt. He was now far more vulnerable, but not _completely_ without resources.

All the soldiers gasped. "Is _that_ how you change into your uniforms? With those bracelets?" demanded Captain Baldrik, "Well, now that I can see your face again, I know for sure I've got the right guy –come quietly! No time to waste!"

Jason rose to his feet, resisting the dizziness and nausea, but a bitter laugh escaped his lips. Wasn't it just _yesterday_ that he'd been up against this same Captain –maybe even these same soldiers- in a desperate fight he couldn't afford to lose?

Just like then, he would fight to the end, no matter how messed up he might be. _He would never give up!_

He had no way of knowing that his face had taken on a grim intensity, with a manic and predatory gleam in his eyes, but Captain Baldrik and the soldiers all took a hasty and nervous step backwards at the sight of him now.

"You just don't get it, do you?" said Jason in a low, hard voice, _"I don't 'come quietly.'"_

And then he leapt, shooting high into the air while pulling open the hidden pocket on the right thigh of his jeans to release the emergency stash of feather stunners that he had concealed there earlier, before he'd left the space ship.

As the soldiers all stared up at him, briefly frozen in confusion, Jason instantly began hurling the feathers, handfuls at a time. The dart-like feathers rained down, embedding their points in all the soldiers even as some, futilely, attempted to fire their rifles.

Jason landed on the ground again, in a crouch. He felt dizzy and ill but he lifted his chin and stared ahead grimly, as he heard a spate of thumping noises behind him as all the soldiers succumbed and dropped to the ground, stunned into unconsciousness.

And they would stay that way for several hours -Jason knew that for a fact.

But even before he tried to stand again, Jason glanced around at his green-clad victims strewn about his vicinity and saw no sign of Captain Baldrik's blue uniform.

Somehow, his most important target here had eluded him.

He stood up now, clutching his head as it swirled with pain, and he nearly staggered but he stayed on his feet nevertheless, holding his last two remaining feather stunners in his gritted teeth.

There was Captain Baldrik! He was several feet away now, partially concealed behind some rocks and pointing the barrel of a gun straight at Jason.

The stand off lasted barely a second. Jason flung both feathers at the Captain but at the same instant, the Captain fired his gun…

Jason yelled as he felt the sudden impact in his chest that knocked him over backwards, but there was almost no accompanying pain. Rather, even as he fell, a grey numbness overwhelmed him…

Of course, they wanted him _alive_. He'd been shot with a tranquilizer gun.

"And down you go!" crowed Captain Baldrik.

Stumbling backwards, Jason's head and back made abrupt contact with the hard rock of a stone statue but he was still conscious, though he could barely move his arms or legs.

It was some kind of paralytic tranquilizer.

"Looks like I've really got you this time," chortled the Captain, though even as he spoke he was pulling one of Jason's feathers from his arm, "This will redeem me completely in Zoltar's eyes!" Brandishing his gun, and revealing that the other feather was stuck in his neck, he added, "Now if you don't mind, I've got some important work to begin…"

But he didn't finish his explanation. He too had finally succumbed to the feathers' stunning effect and he collapsed on the ground.

Jason stared blankly at the glowing streaks of color that the setting Spectran sun still cast across the sky even as the world receded into the background of his mind…

_He was dreaming again –except he was awake._

_He saw a cascade of pale pink petals, falling through the air before a surreal, distorted sky…_

_He'd seen this before._

_He was small again, and lying on his stomach with his chin in the golden sand. He gritted his teeth and struggled once, trying to resist, trying to get up. He had to stop her! But it was no use. Everything was now fading away…_

_Everything except that horrible woman with the mask and the stars on her chest. She had thrown the flower at him, and now he was slipping away._

_But he could still hear her voice._

This was no dream; it was true. And there were so many more now…

_I remember_, thought Jason, overwhelmed by the cascade of memory, _Mala… Everything…_

The sound of a falling rock snapped him out of his reverie abruptly and the reality of his immediate situation came flooding in.

He was once again surrounded by a new brigade of Spectran soldiers, standing in the mist and training their rifles on him.

_They've really got me now…_

0000000000

"Hasn't the mantle procedure been initiated yet?" demanded the Luminous One, "There is no more time for delays!"

"The shaft is now complete," replied Zoltar confidently, "and we have reached all the way to the mantle. Despite the high altitude here and the need to drill through so much more rock, this far north the mantle is stable enough."

Zoltar smiled, raising one fist in a gesture of optimism.

_And I have an expert in Captain Baldrik_, thought Zoltar to himself, _He will ensure the procedure is done correctly._

"I promise it will be a success!" he told the Luminous One, who continued to stare at him with disconcerting intensity, "We've encountered no serious eruptions, and the cadmixium and plutantrium pods are all prepared."

"It was also you who once assured me a mantle reactor would solve all our problems!" snapped the eerie blue visage.

"I swear," vowed Zoltar while making a sweeping bow, "this will save Spectra."

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"This is the final test run of the equipment," announced a Spectran engineer's voice, as a massive collection of gears began to rotate, driving giant pistons up and down, as electricity crackled in great purple streaks from the power complex that was sustaining it all. Atop a shaft so deep its bottom seemingly receded into nothingness, lined by guiderails, a gleaming red pod sat, ready to be launched into the planet's mantle.

"I report that all is functioning correctly," the same voice announced to Zoltar, who was sitting in a chair in the control room, "Please provide the initial pod sequence."

"Where is Captain Baldrik?" demanded Zoltar, _"Somebody find him!"_

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Far away on Earth, Chief Anderson stared out his window at the sun now setting behind the mountains in the distance.

In the Middle Sea, the Phoenix continued to struggle futilely against the Spectran catfish ship, still entwined in its whiskers' relentless grip.

On Spectra, the soldiers had closed in slowly on Jason, but were now mere feet away from him, and he was still unable to stand or walk.

And simultaneously, at Center Neptune, Zark was pacing and speaking anxiously.

"The Space Center says Jason took a space ship to the moon –but he's not there! And the others are in _such_ danger. I have _never_ been so worried!"

But he paused, adding "But I know G-Force. Somehow, everything will be okay."

0000000000

To be continued…

See my profile page for a link to a version with screen cap "illustrations."

A BOTP version of Gatchaman episode 104 is coming soon.


End file.
